60 Mother's Day Lunch Ideas That Show Your Appreciation to Mom
Antonis Achilleos
Make one of these Mother’s Day lunch ideas to help the mother figure in your life feel extra appreciated this year. Keep things simple and fresh with dishes like our Best Chicken Salad Recipe, or complete your brunch spread with a fan-favorite like our crustless Spinach & Mushroom Quiche. No matter what you make from this collection of flavorful recipes, your loved ones are sure to feel both cherished and satisfied on their special day.
The Best Chicken Salad Recipe for Sandwiches
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
What’s the key to the best chicken salad? Use punchy, flavorful ingredients that pack in the flavor, like zesty herbs, acidic lemon juice, sharp onion or shallots. This herbaceous chicken salad recipe is perfect sandwiched between two slices of whole-wheat country bread, but don’t stop there! Enjoy it with crackers, in a wrap or serve it on top of greens.
Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey
This healthy vegetarian quiche recipe is as simple as it gets. It's a quiche without the fussy crust! It's filled with sweet wild mushrooms and savory Gruyère cheese. Enjoy it for breakfast or brunch, or serve it with a light salad for lunch.
Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
An easy-to-make slaw served on the side of these salmon tacos makes for a filling and fast weeknight dinner. If you prefer more heat in these fish tacos, simply add a pinch or two of chipotle chile powder or cayenne with the chili powder.
Roasted Carrot Tart with Carrot-Green Pesto
In this vegetarian main-dish recipe, you use the entire carrot from root to greens, so there's less waste. Roasted carrots are layered on top of a creamy ricotta base with pesto made using the green tops from carrots. Untrimmed carrots can be tough to find, but when you do, cut off the tops and store them separately or they'll draw moisture from the carrots. If you don't have carrot greens, use 1 cup of parsley instead.
The Best Egg Salad Recipe for Sandwiches
Creamy, crunchy and satisfying, this healthy egg salad recipe is the perfect choice for sandwiches, wraps and more. The filling spread can be made ahead of time, which makes this recipe great for meal prep.
Carrot Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey
This easy carrot soup recipe is a great way to use up a bag of carrots that were forgotten in your produce drawer. The carrots cook together with aromatics like onions, garlic and fresh herbs before being pureed into a silky smooth soup that's delicious for dinner or packed up for lunch.
The Simplist Spinach Salad
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This bright spinach salad, with sweet notes from the fresh orange segments and briny feta cheese, is sure to make it into your regular rotation. Make this easy salad a more substantial main dish by adding grilled chicken or roasted tofu on top.
Chicken Milanese with Arugula-Cherry Tomato Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Chicken Milanese, referring to the city of Milan, Italy, where the dish is believed to have originated, features breaded and pan-fried chicken cutlets usually served with a side salad and a generous squeeze of lemon. Here we stick (mostly) to tradition, but we skip the pan-frying in favor of cooking the chicken in the oven. Preheating the pan helps get a nice crispy crust on one side, so it’s important not to skip that step.
Mushroom-Ricotta Tartines
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco,
Enjoy the art of presentation with a tartine—a sandwich that's a feast for the eyes and taste buds, served open-faced. Here, we slather a thick slice of good crusty whole-wheat bread with a creamy pesto-ricotta spread and top it with golden-brown sautéed mushrooms. Any tender, quick-cooking mushroom would work for this recipe. Oyster mushrooms, chanterelles and shiitake mushrooms would all be delicious. Enjoy it as is or take it to the next level by adding a poached or fried egg on top.
Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
The creamy feta dressing steals the show in this protein-rich salad that makes a perfect lunch or quick and easy dinner. While you can buy feta cheese already crumbled, we like crumbling our own fresh from the block for this salad. While we prefer the slightly sharper flavor of sheep’s-milk feta, cow’s-milk feta works just as well.
Easy Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins
Protein-packed omelet muffins, or baked mini omelets, are a perfect breakfast for busy mornings. Make a batch ahead and freeze for the days when you don't have time for your typical bowl of oatmeal.
Skillet Bruschetta Chicken
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This flavorful skillet chicken bruschetta puts a tasty spin on a traditional dish. Drawing inspiration from the Italian appetizer, we replace the usual toasted bread with protein-packed chicken cutlets. The vibrant and juicy chopped tomato topping remains a constant, complemented by a drizzle of sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. For an added layer of flavor, serve topped with shaved Parmesan cheese or add some chopped olives to the tomato mixture for a briny kick.
Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken & Fresh Berries
If you're packing this grain bowl for work, combine the dressing ingredients in a small container. When you're ready to eat, shake the dressing well, add it to the salad and toss. If you don't have time to make a homemade dressing, use 3 tablespoons of store-bought olive oil vinaigrette. Keep prep time short by using rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken) and a pouch of microwavable quinoa.
Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
Egg, Hash Brown & Bacon Breakfast Skillet
This breakfast skillet with eggs and hash browns is reminiscent of the hashbrown bowl at Waffle House. It's filling and tastes decadent, but is still a pretty low-calorie breakfast.
Easy Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche
This broccoli and Cheddar quiche gets its creamy texture from evaporated milk. It's a great recipe to make ahead: simply reheat before serving or cut into slices and reheat each morning for breakfast. Using precut microwaveable broccoli cuts down on prep time, but if you have broccoli crowns sitting around, go ahead and use those up. Just be sure to cook the broccoli only until barely tender or the final dish will have overcooked, soggy broccoli.
Tangy Chicken Salad with Grapes
Sweet red grapes and crunchy celery make this chicken salad sing, and also balance out the slight tang from the yogurt and lemon. But go ahead and customize the mix-ins with whatever you desire (perhaps some chopped nuts or dried fruit) because this chicken salad recipe is easily adaptable. We use rotisserie chicken (look for unseasoned to keep sodium in check!) to simplify things, but any leftover cooked chicken will work.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Pea Soup
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/8066165/tres-leches-overnight-oats/?state=PREVIEW&et=1704825181693&kw=fakeAds
This simple pea soup recipe makes an elegant start to a spring meal. It's also a great way to use frozen vegetables when the produce section is looking bleak.
Kale, Quinoa & Apple Salad
This kale, quinoa and apple salad is perfect for fall. Fresh apples bring crisp autumn flavor, and the kale breaks down when it's massaged with the dressing. Nuts, fennel and quinoa add more layers of texture, while blue cheese lends a savory note.
Ham & Spinach Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
This ham and spinach quiche is ideal for any meal, from brunch to dinner and all the moments in between. This quiche skips the crust, making it incredibly easy to pull together even on short notice. Swap out the Cheddar cheese for Gruyère or use Swiss chard in place of the spinach for a slightly different spin.
Chicken Caprese Sandwich
This chicken caprese sandwich has all the classic flavors of a caprese salad with an added boost of protein from grilled chicken. Using store-bought grilled chicken makes assembly quick and easy. This sandwich for one is made in a skillet, but would work equally well in a panini press if you have one on hand.
Skillet Salmon with Orzo & Green Pea Pesto
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
This delightful one-pan dinner combines salmon fillets with fresh green pea pesto and orzo pasta. Green pea pesto adds a unique twist to the traditional pesto, bringing a hint of sweetness, body and a vibrant green color to your plate. If you like a more traditional pesto flavor, swap out the dill for chopped fresh basil, or use store-bought basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto in its place.
Chicken Caprese Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
This chicken caprese salad has all the fresh bright flavors of a classic caprese plus a protein boost from simple quick-marinated chicken cutlets. For extra convenience, buy pre-sliced chicken cutlets to streamline your prep. On sunny days, take the cooking outdoors and grill the chicken for an extra layer of flavor.
Crispy Pesto Chicken with Whipped Feta & Tomatoes
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
These crispy chicken cutlets, flavored with pesto and topped with juicy burst tomatoes, are served with creamy whipped feta. Seek out feta cheese in brine and crumble it by hand for the best results. While we love the vibrant yellow color and sweet flavor of Sungold cherry tomatoes, any cherry or grape tomato will work well here.
Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata
This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.
Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale
You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens
For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
Bacon, Cheddar & Spinach Strata
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This protein-packed breakfast casserole is the perfect recipe for when you have a crowd to feed. The egg mixture needs plenty of time to soak into the bread before baking, so you can prepare it the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning. Whole-wheat sourdough offers a tangy flavor and a boost of fiber, but you can swap it out for regular sourdough or a plain whole-wheat country loaf.
Bacon & Brussels Sprouts Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This crustless quiche is perfect for brunch or dinner served with a green salad on the side. You can shred Brussels sprouts yourself with a sharp knife or look for pre-shredded sprouts with other prepared vegetables in your local grocery store. We love the smoky flavor of bacon, but pancetta is an easy substitute.
BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford , Food Stylist: Telia Johnson
This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend.
Chickpea & Potato Hash
The eggs cook right on top of this chickpea and potato hash--cook them a few extra minutes if you prefer hard-set eggs. Serve with warm pita bread and a cucumber salad with mint and yogurt.
Baked Asparagus & Cheese Frittata
Perfect for a spring brunch or light supper, this Italian omelet is baked so it is easy to serve to a group.
Garden-Fresh Asparagus Soup
This lemony asparagus soup is spiced with a touch of curry and gets added richness from “lite” coconut milk and creamy red potatoes. Top it with a dollop of crème fraîche or plain yogurt and serve warm or chilled.
Tomato Ricotta Tart
This simple tart showcases gorgeous, multicolored heirloom tomatoes. Aged balsamic vinegar has a beautiful syrupy texture because the longer it ages, the more evaporation takes place. Balsamic glaze can be used in its place, but keep in mind it often has added sugar.
Vegetarian Spring Egg Casserole
This easy egg casserole is filled with spring green vegetables and rustic whole-grain bread. It's perfect for a healthy vegetarian dinner or a springtime brunch. You can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning when you're ready.
Pesto Pasta Salad
A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly.
Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing
This healthy vegetarian salad recipe features chickpeas and quinoa for a boost of protein. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this cold salad for lunch or dinner.
Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together.
Creamy One-Pot Orecchiette with Sausage & Peas
This easy one-pot pasta recipe earns the title "creamy" thanks to the addition of sour cream and Parmesan, which combine to create a savory cheese sauce that clings to the orecchiette, peas and sausage. The best part about this recipe is that it only requires one vessel to cook everything—pasta included. By using the exact amount of liquid you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, adding even more creaminess. If you like spicy but not too spicy, use a mix of sweet and hot Italian sausages.
Elote-Inspired Pasta Salad
This zesty pasta salad draws inspiration from the flavors of elote—Mexican grilled corn on the cob that's smothered in a creamy mayo-based sauce and sprinkled with chili powder, cotija cheese and lime. Corn kernels blister in the hot pan and a sprinkle of smoked paprika brings out the flavor. If you can't find cotija cheese, grated Parmesan is a good substitute. There are a few methods you can use to remove corn kernels, whether it's a corn stripper tool or a knife and a dish towel. For more, learn how to cut corn off the cob.
Smoked Salmon Salad Niçoise
This twist on a classic Niçoise salad uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives.
Chicken Sausage & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
This one-pan pasta combines tasty chicken sausage and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. It's a quick and easy weeknight dinner everyone is sure to love. This recipe is a variation on our Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan, which is a super-popular recipe developed by Devon O'Brien.
Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick.
Muffin-Tin Spanakopita Omelets
The flavors and textures in these baked eggs are inspired by spanakopita, the pie with Greek origins that encases spinach, onion, feta and eggs in crispy phyllo. These are muffin-size instead of pie-size, so there's no need for slicing and portioning when you're on the go in the morning.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Chicken
In this healthy copycat of a takeout salad favorite we combine precooked (or leftover) chicken and poppy seed dressing with fresh greens, strawberries and goat cheese for an easy throw-together meal that's ready in 10 minutes.
Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Tater Tot Casserole
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This egg-based dinner casserole is assembled and baked in a single baking dish, making prep (and cleanup!) a breeze. Potato tots nestled on top add a crispy, golden crust. Be sure to squeeze as much moisture as you can from the frozen artichoke hearts and spinach to prevent the casserole from becoming soggy. If you can’t find frozen artichoke hearts, you can use canned—just make sure to rinse them well to remove any excess salty brine.
Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard & Feta
The inspiration for this green shakshuka recipe comes from HaBasta, a popular restaurant on the edge of Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, where the shakshuka is packed with green chard and spinach and a little hot pepper provides just a touch of spice. Serve with pita or crusty bread to sop up the sauce for a quick dinner or for brunch.
Prosciutto Pizza with Corn & Arugula
This grilled prosciutto and arugula pizza makes the perfect summer dinner. If you have time, let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to make rolling it out easier in this 20-minute healthy pizza recipe. Thawed frozen corn works in place of fresh, just pat it dry before sprinkling it on the pizza.
Peanut Butter-Banana French Toast Casserole
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This French toast casserole is sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup. The drizzle on top adds nutty peanut butter flavor to every bite. If your peanut butter is lumpy, blend the custard filling in a blender to smooth it out. You can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts for extra flavor if you prefer.
3-Ingredient Bell Pepper & Cheese Egg Cups
Requiring just three main ingredients—bell peppers, eggs and shredded cheese—these portable baked eggs are simple to assemble and perfect for meal prep.
Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad
This cold pesto pasta salad will cool you off on a summer day. Fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers add a pop of bright color and juiciness here, but any of your favorite pasta-salad veggies, like blanched broccoli and fresh bell peppers, would be delicious too.
Smoked Trout Salad with Herb & Horseradish Dressing
This no-cook main-dish salad pairs a flavorful dressing featuring sharp horseradish and tangy crème fraîche with smoked trout.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This recipe produces a large batch of sweet-and-spicy ground chicken studded with crunchy cashews and celery—making it great for easy weeknight entertaining or meal prepping.
One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan
This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein.
Spring Green Frittata
Frittatas are a versatile dish that can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This easy frittata, featuring green spring vegetables accented by chopped tomatoes and parmesan cheese, can be on your plate in just 25 minutes.
Rustic Mushroom Tart
Don't let phyllo dough's fussy reputation put you off: our method of brushing olive oil and sprinkling breadcrumbs between the layers makes this tart actually quite simple to assemble, and helps keep it healthy. It can be served as a main course or cut into smaller pieces and enjoyed as an appetizer.
Sesame Chicken & Cabbage Salad with Crunchy Ramen Noodles
This salad is crisp, crunchy and cool with shredded cabbage, carrots and chicken breast tossed with toasted ramen noodles and slivered almonds. The dressing is an aromatic combination of orange, sesame, ginger and soy. You may want to double the dressing and save some for a salad the next day.
Creamy Radish Soup
In this creamy radish soup recipe, radishes are sautéed and pureed with potato, creating a velvety, healthy soup. Cooking radishes also tones down any bitterness, while leaving plenty of sweet, earthy flavors to enjoy. Using smaller radishes will give the soup a pretty pink hue, like the one pictured here, while larger radishes result in an almost white soup.
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